A Good Friend
by J.P. D'Osty-Fernandez
Summary: Post-"Intoxicated": Liv tracks Casey down and tries to find out why Donnelly suspended her.


**A Good Friend**

**-by J.P. D'Osty-Fernandez**

**-dedicated to all survivors of child abuse, and, as ever, to Diane Neal, the wonderful young actress who brings Casey Novak to life**

**Standard Disclaimer: The SVU characters belong to Dick Wolf, every other character belongs to me.**

"Wow! The Queen just said that and she was alive again? That's a nice story, Casey!"

"Yes, it is, Tommy. I'm happy you liked it."

"I liked it a lot." A relaxed smile brightened the little boy's face. "Casey, do you think I can change back to a normal boy like the boy in the story? And live happily together all my life with my Mommy and Suzie and Billy?"

Casey kept her gentle smile and the warmth in her eyes. It took every ounce of energy within her to do so.

"Yes, Tommy. I think you can live happily together with your Mommy and Suzie and Billy. They all love you very much."

"But will I change back?"

"Well…I don't know about that, Tommy. But I do know that if you do what you have been doing and listen to the doctors and nurses, and keep being brave, you might feel better."

"Like when Inez told me I should try to sleep after you read me the story?"

"That's it! You're a very bright boy!"

"OK Casey. Will you kiss me goodnight?"

"Sure thing, buddy."

Casey got up, put the book on the chair, and bent over Tommy's bed, giving him a soft kiss on the forehead. Tommy put his arms around her neck and squeezed her so tight. Casey gently hugged him in return, and stroked his back.

"I love you Casey."

"I love you too Tommy."

"Will you come back to see me tomorrow?"

"Yes, Tommy. I'll come back tomorrow."

"Thank you Casey."

Tommy released Casey, and Casey eased him back down. Tommy had a bright, happy look in his eyes.

"Do you want me to pull the blanket up for you?"

"No…it's ok."

"Alright then champ! See ya tomorrow!"

"Goodnight Casey!"

"Goodnight Tommy! Sleep tight!"

Little Tommy gave Casey a beautiful smile and a small wave with his free left hand. An IV was inserted into his right forearm, which was immobilized. Casey smiled, and brought up her own left hand in a wave. She waited until Tommy closed his eyes before she left his room.

"Liv!" she exclaimed in a whisper when she saw the Detective at the door, "What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you."

"Well you found me. Look, do you mind if we talk outside? Tommy needs his rest."

"Sure, no problem. In fact, why don't we grab a cup of coffee?"

"Sounds good."

The two ladies exited Tommy's room and headed towards the elevator.

"That was a beautiful story you read to that little boy." commented Liv after pressing the button with the southwards-pointing outline of an arrowhead.

" 'Brother and Sister' by the Brothers Grimm. Very beautiful. It's one of my favourites... I figure, if I can brighten Tommy's days just a little before…"

Casey paused, and looked downwards, her face in pain.

"Yeah, I hear you…I don't know how you held it together when Tommy asked if he would be a normal boy again. That took a lot of guts."

"Yeah…" Casey then looked up at Liv. "If we're going for coffee, I take it you don't need a warrant from me?"

"Warrant? How could you get a warrant after Donnelly…"

The elevator door opened just then, and the ladies walked in. They were not alone, so, by mutual unspoken agreement, they suspended their conversation until they were in the cafeteria. One of the people in the crowd might have some connection to a case and both Casey and Liv understood the concept of "Loose lips sink ships."

"That is one of the cruelest things…a little boy like that getting AIDS." observed Liv after her first sip of coffee.

"Life is cruel…and it's short for everyone. So, I figure we ought to squeeze as much joy out of it as we can."

"You have a very special way of trying to find joy, Casey. I mean, volunteering with dying children? That's gotta be depressing on top of everything from work."

"Yes…but when you see their smiles…it really does something to you…"

Liv's eyebrows rose in wonderment and admiration, as she took another sip of coffee.

"So," began Casey, changing the subject as the put her cup down, "Like I said, I figure you don't need a warrant from me…"

"No, Casey, I don't. We called your office to get a warrant this morning, and Donnelly said you were on suspension…"

"Did she get you your warrant?"

"Yes, but that's not the point…when we asked her why she suspended you, she told us because you were insubordinate one time too many."

"Only ONE time too many? Huh! Now THAT is adding insult to injury!"

This brought a smile and a chuckle out of Liv.

"Yeah, you're not exactly number one on her hit parade right now…But Casey,"

Liv grew serious again.

"When we pressed her, she said she suspended you because you disobeyed a direct order from her on the Eldridge case. She said she told you not to plead Carrie Eldridge out."

"That's right."

Liv's eyes had a look of uncomprehending astonishment as they searched Casey's.

"I...I didn't know…"

Liv sat back in her chair, and looked off to her right.

"I…don't know what to say…"

"That's OK, Liv," Casey leaned forward, putting her right hand on Liv's left, "You don't have to say anything."

Their eyes met. Liv saw the warmth, the compassion, in Casey's eyes. It was as if Casey was reaching out to her and telling her "I feel for you, and I'm with you all the way on this."

"That's HUGE, Casey!" Liv finally said. She rolled her left hand over, so that her palm met Casey's. Both ladies squeezed.

"I couldn't do it any other way, Liv. Not after what you told me during the trial about what happened to you."

Liv appreciated this for a few moments. Then, her brows furrowed in worry.

"But if Donnelly wanted Carrie convicted of second degree…won't she institute proceedings to get Carrie re-sentenced?"

"She could try. But then, that would reflect rather negatively on her. I mean, she's not in any hurry to advertise that she's not 100 the master in her own house. And besides, Arthur agrees with me on this, and Donnelly knows it."

"And he didn't do anything about Donnelly suspending you?"

"It's only for a week. Arthur knows Donnelly needs to blow off a little steam and show she is still in charge. Heck, even I understand that."

"But Casey…" Liv's grip on Casey's hand grew tighter "Branch will only be there until the voters decide they want someone else. Donnelly, on the other hand…do you really want her as a permanent enemy?"

"Oh, she'll get over it. Besides, deep down, she needs me. I allow her to give her beloved broomstick a rest."

"Her broomstick?"

"Yeah…you know? Instead of riding her broomstick, she rides me from 9 to 5? Ah, oh well. Not one of my best."

"Casey!" guffawed Liv "You are BAD!"

"Yah, I know!" Casey forced the words out amidst the giggles, "That's why I was so upset when you told me Donnelly said I was insubordinate just one time too many!"

The merriment continued for a few moments more. Slowly, gradually, Casey grew more serious. She broke eye contact

"Umm…Liv?"

"Yeah?"

"I don't feel quite right in saying this…but, I feel I have too…The other day in the bar, when you told me what happened to you…that was huge too…I'm touched you confided in me like that. That was a horrible experience, and you must have trusted me a whole lot to be able to tell me that."

Liv had become serious too, now. She said nothing.

Casey released Liv's hand, and reached for her purse. She pulled out her wallet, from which she extracted a business card.

"Back when I was in law school, I had this brilliant classmate in my study group. We were supposed to divvy up the classes, and each of us study one very well and 'teach it', so to speak, to the others. But this guy, he was so gifted, that he practically 'taught' us something like 80 of what we needed to know."

Casey's eyes met Liv's again. She saw a certain receptiveness in them, and a certain enthusiasm too, contrary to her expectations—and fears. This was a great relief to Casey. She had wanted to tell Liv what she was telling her now for almost a week, but she did not know how to broach such a terrible subject. She just knew that she had to.

"He was also very cute. I fell in love with him. He was also very attracted to me, but he was always very distant. He would pour all his energy into the group—so much so, that it actually creeped a couple of us out. I mean, we were all anxious about passing, but with him, it was like if any one of us failed, he thought it was his fault. And he kept apologizing and begging for forgiveness for the smallest little things, like if he was just a minute late, or if he voiced an opinion the rest of us didn't agree with—which was rare—and then—get this—when he turned out to be right.

"Well, we all got through law school. And we ended up taking the Bar together. We both passed on our first try. I was exhilarated. But he was kind of depressed. Finally being allowed to practice what he had put so much effort and sweat into learning should have been a moment of joy, but looking at him, you would think he was at a funeral.

"I took him aside, and I told him that I would never have passed without his help. I also told him, that I could see there was something wrong, and that I owed it to him to try and help if I could.

"He thanked me for caring enough to ask. He then told me that his father had been an alcoholic, and that he beat him and his mother every day. He told me that every day was another battle, but that he was no longer alone…"

Casey extended the business card to Olivia.

"Adult Children of Alcoholics?"

"Yes. My friend said that, without them, he would have probably killed himself at the end because of the despair. Liv, I'm not a psychiatrist, and I don't want to push this—or anything else—on you. In fact, you strike me as a remarkably well-adjusted person given what you told me the other day."

Liv looked up from the card, a smile forming on her face. "Thanks, Casey. That's very kind of you."

"You're welcome, Liv. It's the truth, you are a very together person. Like I said, I don't want to push anything on you. And I am not going to tell anyone about this, not even Elliot, if you don't want me to.

"But, I consider you to be a friend, and I had to at least offer this to you. And, I never lived through anything like what you went through, but, Liv, if ever you need someone to talk to, I'm always here for you."

There was a long silence. Liv's eyes began to mist up.

"I'm lucky to have you, Casey. You're a good friend."

Liv stood up. So did Casey. Liv reached for Casey and gave her a tight bear hug, burying her face against Casey's left shoulder. Casey reciprocated the hug, her left hand stroking Liv's side, her right gently pressed against the back of Liv's head.


End file.
